---------------------------------------------------------- Visit Indonesia Daily News Online HomePage: http://www.indo-news.com/ Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- ANTARA, July 14 1999 Direct ballot: RI Expects UN To Agree With Aug 21 Date-Alatas Jakarta, July 13 (ANTARA)- Indonesia expects the UN to accept its proposal to hold the autonomy ballot in East Timor on Aug 21 instead of Aug 22, Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Alatas said Tuesday. "Do not postpone (the ballot) again," Alatas said after accompanying President BJ Habibie receive new ambassadors to Indonesia at the Merdeka Palace here. The minister noted that Aug 21, a Saturday, is preferable to Aug 22, a Sunday, when East Timor's Chatholics go to church to hear mass, as well as to Aug 20, a Friday, when the province's Moslems say their prayers in mosques. As such, he said, Indonesia hopes UN Secretary General Kofi Annan would set the ballot on Aug 21. Asked which of the two options offered to the East Timorese is better -- the wide-ranging autonomy or separation from Indonesia-- he noted that the option for special autonomous status is the more fair, peaceful and realistic solution to the East Timor issue than the option for independence. Alatas went on to say that during their flying visit to East Timor on Monday, he and other ministers were able to gain information on the latest situation in the former Portuguese territory. He said that during their meeting with UN Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) chief, Ian Martin, he asked the UNAMET to try to eliminate the impression that it is siding with the pro-independence group. He said however that though it might not true that it was taking side with the pro-independence, the UNAMET gave the impression that it favored pro-independence supporters in recruiting its local staff. The UN is organizing a direct ballot in East Timor to enable its people to decide whether they want the territory to stay with Indonesia as a province enjoying a special autonomous status or whether they want separation from the country. (L.RU03/B/ND04/INTKT/14:15/intel/14:31/ri1/19:35/TB04) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 20 Jul 1999 jam 04:43:01 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
